Editor's Note

The Charge

"War and Peace is about everything that counts: love and battle,
terror and desire, life and death. It's a book that you don't just read, you
live."—Simon Schama

Opening Statement

When producer David Conroy determined to create a lengthy adaptation of
War and Peace for the BBC in the early 1970s, many must have thought him
a fool. Yes, creating a 20-part, 15-hour adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's famous
novel would be incredibly difficult from an artistic and financial point of
view. However, it also must have seemed a little pointless at the time, as the
critically-acclaimed six-hour Russian version of War and Peace had been
generally accepted as the "definitive version" only five years
earlier. Thirty-five years after Conroy's television presentation of the great
novel originally aired on the BBC, how does it hold up? Is this epic and
stirring tale given justice, or was the production merely an overlong vanity
project? Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, let us consider the case.

Facts of the Case

Twenty 45-minute episodes are spread across five discs. As War and
Peace is such a vast, complex story that would be quite difficult to
summarize, I offer you the episode descriptions written by Andy Priestner. This
will also give those who have read the novel an idea of what elements have been
represented here. Warning: some spoilers are included in the following
descriptions, so if you do not wish to know what happens, skip ahead to the next
section.

DISC ONE:

"Name-Day" St. Natalia's Day, 1805. While the count fusses
over preparations for dinner, the Countess Rostov, her eldest daughter Vera and
old friend Princess Drubetskoya receive callers. Madame Karagina brings news
that Count Bezuhov, a relation of the princess, is dying. They speculate whether
his illegitimate son Pierre will inherit the family fortune. The Rostov children
(Natasha, Nikolai and Petya), the countess' niece Sonya and the princess' son
Boris enter. Boris has already joined the army and Nikolai is keen to join up as
well. Meanwhile, at the Bezuhov household Pierre waits for news, while Vasili
Kuragin tells the count's niece, Katishe, about the existence of a letter
written to the Tsar, which legitimizes Pierre but has never been sent…

"Sounds of War" At one of her soirees, Anna Scherer suggests
Princess Maria Bolkonskya to Vasili Kuragin as a suitable match for his wayward
son Anatole. Also bending Vasili's ear is Princess Drubetskoya, who is intent on
securing a place in the Imperial Guard for her son Boris. The newly legitimized
Pierre Bezuhov makes a poor impression at the reception, but is pleased to catch
up with his old friend, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, who is Maria's brother. Later
that evening, Pierre learns that Andrei is unhappy in his marriage. Andrei's
wife, Lisa, believes that his feelings for her have changed since they married.
She also harbors fears about her unborn child and Andrei's determination to go
to war. Andrei plans to leave for Austria after he has installed Lisa at Bald
Hills—the country estate where both his father and sister live…

"Skirmish at Schongraben" Austrian General Mack is defending
Ulm from Napoleon's army. When the Prince of Liechtenstein arrives at Napoleon's
headquarters to negotiate terms on Mack's behalf, Napoleon considers it to be a
conspiracy on the part of the rulers of Europe and is intent on Mack's total
surrender. The Russian army, led by Marshall Kutuzov, is called on by an
Austrian emissary to provide support for Mack, but Mack surrenders before it is
offered. Among the Russian troops are Nikolai Rostov and his squadron commander
Denisov; both are desperate to see some action, but news arrives that they are
to withdraw from the area. The French take Vienna and the Russian rearguard,
under Prince Bagration, is charged with taking the full weight of their
impending attack until the main force can get into position…

"A Letter and Two Proposals" The Russian army has fallen
back to Austerlitz. A letter containing the news that Nikolai has both been
wounded and made an officer reaches the Rostov household. Matchmaking again,
Vasili Kuragin is considering Pierre Bezuhov as a suitable prospect for his
beautiful, but brainless, daughter Helene. He is also still pursuing a possible
match between Princess Maria Bolkonskya and his son Anatole, and to that end
makes a trip to Bald Hills with him. Maria is keen to marry and becomes anxious
about her appearance as her companion Mademoiselle Bourienne helps her to get
ready. Meanwhile, Pierre senses that he will find himself married to Helene
whether he likes it or not…

DISC TWO:

"Austerlitz" Napoleon sends General Savary to the Tsar to
tell him how much his support of Austria wounds him, but also to learn Marshal
Kutuzov's next move. Nikolai is reunited with Boris at his lodging, where they
discuss the types of military career they seek. Prince Andre Bolkonsky arrives
while Nikolai is relating his experiences at Schongraben. Nikolai is offensive
to him about the worth of staff officers as they see no fighting. Savary reports
back to Napoleon about the atmosphere of excitement at the Russian camp over
what they see as their duty to half French ambitions. Kutuzov's army is camped
on the Pratzen Heights and Napoleon hopes they can be drawn down to avoid
attacking them there…

"Reunions" Twenty thousand men have died at Austerlitz and
Marshal Kutuzov has written to Prince Bolkonsky to inform him that Andrei is
among them. Maria is afraid to pass on this news to Andrei's wife, Lisa, as her
pregnancy is at an advanced stage. There is a happier mood at the Rostovs when
Nikolai arrives home bringing Denisov with him. While Natasha is no longer
infatuated with Boris, Sonya is still in love with Nikolai, but wants him to be
free if that is his wish. Pierre, now married to Helene, is just about the only
man in Moscow who is unaware that his wife has taken a man called Dolohov as her
lover. Dolohov is introduced to the Rostov family; he feels that it is high time
he was married and immediately shows an interest in Sonya…

"New Beginnings" Pierre learns that Dolohov is Helene's
lover and, at a banquet hosted by Count Rostov in Kutuzov's honor, he is
deliberately provoked by his rival. When Dolohov announces aloud that after the
banquet he has a date with a rich pretty married woman, Pierre finally loses
control and challenges him to a duel. The duel takes place the next day and
Pierre seriously wounds Dolohov. After Helene learns what has happened she asks
Pierre for a separation, telling him that being his wife has been an
embarrassment to her. Denisov, who has had his eye on Natasha, proposes
marriage. She like Denisov but does not wish to marry him. A chance meeting at a
post-house leads a desolate Pierre to a new way of life. Meanwhile at Tilsit,
Napoleon and the Tsar prepare to sign a truce…

"A Beautiful Tale" Andrei is weary of life, but meeting
Natasha at the Rostov family home prompts him to reappraise his feelings.
Lieutenant Berg, who is set to marry Vera Rostov, discusses the question of her
dowry with the Count. Maneuvered into offering a hundred thousand rubles, the
Count becomes worried about the family's financial security. When he tells the
Countess that he has decided to take up a government post at Petersburg, she
suggests that they should all go there for a last fling before they begin to cut
down on their spending. Once at Petersburg, the Rostovs attend a grand ball at
which the Tsar is the guest of honor. Pierre and Helene are there, as is Andrei
Bolkonsky who, at Pierre's suggestion, asks Natasha to dance with him…

DISC THREE:

"Leave of Absence" At Bald Hills, Andrei tells his father
that he plans to marry Natasha Rostova. Prince Bolkonsky is not enthusiastic
about the match and suggests that Andrei postpones the marriage for a year,
saying that he will give his consent after that time, if Andrei still feels the
same. A delighted Natasha agrees to marry Andrei despite the imposition of a
year's wait. Pierre and Helene are now living in separate suites. She has become
one of Petersburg's most popular hostesses, while he has tired of freemasonry
and is consumed by thoughts of Natasha. When Nikolai arrives home on leave he
finds that his family is in bad financial straits, to the extent that they may
have to sell their home in Moscow. The countess strongly hints to Nikolai that
he may want to consider marrying an heiress…

"Madness" Leaving the countess behind in Petersburg, the
Count, Natasha and Sonya return to Moscow. Natasha's godmother, Maria
Dmitrievna, is also staying with them. She informs Natasha that Andrei's father
and sister are in Moscow and that she should call on them. The visit does not go
well, primarily because the old Prince refuses to see anyone, causing both
Princess Maria and Natasha to feel ill at ease. Natasha longs for Andrei to come
back and weeps for him once she is home again. While enjoying various
entertainments with her father and Sonya, Natasha meets Anatole Kuragin for the
first time. As soon as the opportunity arises, he tells her that he has fallen
in love with her. Reticent at first, Natasha soon succumbs to his
charms…

"Men of Destiny" Napoleon's former chief of police, Fouche,
brings the Emperor a memorandum in which he has set down the reason why he
thinks the French army should not invade Russia. Napoleon decides to ignore
Fouche's advice. Meanwhile, Andrei visits Bald Hills to say farewell before he
rejoins the army. He tells Maria that he cannot forgive Natasha. Maria realizes
that Andre's recent visit to Turkey may have been due to the fact that Anatole
was posted there and she begs him not to fight a duel. She also tells him about
her concerns over Prince Bolkonsky's sudden interest in Mademoiselle Bourienne,
who has been flirting with him in return. Andrei decides to broach the subject
with the old Prince at dinner…

"Fortunes of War" As Napoleon's army advances towards
Moscow, Pierre, Count Rostov and Petya attend a meeting at which
Governor-General Rostopchin reads a proclamation from the Tsar. It states that
the Russian army is ready to sacrifice all in defense of the country, but that
he needs the financial support of rich merchants and the nobility. Pierre
promises to equip a thousand men, while Petya is desperate to join up. The Tsar
himself arrives and thanks those gathered for their support. Andrei sends a
letter to Bald Hills warning that the advancing French army is close to the
estate. The old Prince dismisses his son's advice, but Maria and Mademoiselle
Bourienne make plans to depart. Soon after, the Prince has a seizure while
arguing with Maria and they all leave for Bogucharovo. Once there, Maria finds
herself in danger when the peasants on the estate refuse to let her
leave…

DISC FOUR:

"Borodino" Julia Karagina, who is now married to Boris
Drubetskoy, pays a visit to the Rostovs and they discuss the prospect of leaving
Moscow. Petya has joined a Cossack regiment but in line with the wishes of the
Countess, Pierre transfers him to his own regiment which is training near
Moscow. Pierre is unable to decide whether he should leave for Petersburg or
stay in Moscow. Andrei meets Marshal Kutuzov again and tells him that his father
is dead. Kutuzov believes that the forthcoming battle at Borodino will be
pointless, as all that will change is that each side will lose some 20,000 men.
He also believes that the loss of Moscow is not important. Pierre meets up with
Andrei at an encampment, but the battle begins before he has left the
area…

"Escape" The battle of Borodino is over, neither side having
the energy to fight on. The loss of life has been as considerable as Kutuzov
predicted. Pierre makes his way back to Moscow where he hears a proclamation
stating that Moscow will be defended after all. Summoned to see Rostopchin, he
learns that the speech was made in order to stem civilian panic and that the
Governor is getting ready to leave. Rostopchin advises Pierre to leave the city,
but he decides to remain in order to confront Napoleon, believing that their
destinies are somehow inextricably linked—a view which he had derived from
an interpretation of Revelation. Meanwhile, at the Rostov household, everyone is
packing, when Natasha observes a seemingly endless line of Russian soldiers
streaming out of the city…

"Moscow!" Napoleon arrives in a deserted Moscow and is
angered that there is no deputation of noblemen to meet him there. Pierre is
still at his home, a fact which surprises his servant Gerasim, who warns his
master that the streets are no longer safe. Pierre still believes that he is
fated to murder Napoleon, but his musings over this ambition are interrupted by
the arrival of a French officer called Ramballe. Pierre intercedes in an
altercation between his drunk porter and Ramballe and the officer invites him to
dine with him. They spend the evening getting drunk and exchanging confidences.
Meanwhile, Napoleon learns from his generals of the presence of incendiaries in
the city—who were instructed by Rostopchin before he left—and is
concerned that if the city burns there will be no quarters for his
troops…

"Two Meetings" Andrei wakes and remembers his time in a
field hospital immediately after the battle of Borodino and the fate of Anatole
Kuragin. He wishes that he could see Natasha again as he realizes how much she
must have suffered. The Countess is still certain that Natasha should not be
told that Andrei is with them before they move on. Nikolai is enjoying himself
in Voronezh and is paying a great deal of attention to a married woman called
Katerina Petrovna. Nadia Galenkova, an old friend of the Countess, advises
Nikolai to be careful over Katerina and, when she learns of his interest in
Princess Maria Bolkonskya, ask him if he would like her to arrange a meeting.
Nikolai is hesitant due to his pledge to Sonya but feels that fate is drawing
him towards Maria. Nadia is convinced that Sonya will release Nikolai…

DISC FIVE:

"Of Life and Death" At Yaroslvl, Natasha is nursing Andrei.
She has received a letter from Maria and tells Andrei that she and Nikolenka are
well. In Moscow, Pierre is questioned by marshal Davout, who believes him to be
an incendiary. He and a group of other Russian prisoners are taken outside to be
shot. Several men are killed, but Pierre is spared and taken to a building being
used as a prison. There he meets a man called Platon Karatayev, whose simple
philosophy of life impresses him very much. Natasha fears for Andrei when he
asks for a New Testament and the Countess fears that if Andre should die in her
arms that it would be too much for her. Sonya finally gives in to the Countess
and sends a letter to Nikolai releasing him from his pledge…

"The Retreat" Marshal Berthier tries to persuade a reluctant
Napoleon that they should leave Moscow and return to France, while Marshal
Davout believes that they should sit out the winter there. Napoleon himself
wishes to march on Kutuzov and his army in Kalouga but is forced to order a
retreat. The Russian prisoners, who include Pierre and Karatayev, are forced to
march with the retreating French army, pushing their carts along through the
snow. Any prisoners who are unable to walk any further or are too sick to carry
on are shot dead. Karatayev becomes unwell and Pierre feats that he will not
survive. The retreat is observed by Denisov and Dolohov who intend to attack the
French once they have learned how many there are and how they are defended.
Petya arrives and begs Denisov that he be allowed to join the attacking
party…

"The Road to Life" At Yaroslavl, Natasha and Maria are still
mourning the death of Andrei. Maria suggests that Natasha should come with her
to Moscow, but she declines. When news reaches the Rostovs that Petya is dead,
the Countess is inconsolable. Pierre returns to his house in Moscow and both
Gerasim and Katishe are surprised to see him having thought he was dead Katishe
tells him that Helene has died. Pierre attends a soiree given by the Drubetskoys
and amazes everyone with his presence. Vasili Kuragin, who has now lost both of
his children, is particularly moved by seeing him again. Pierre visits Maria
Bolkonskya and is surprised to find Natasha there too. Natasha talks of Andrei
for the first time since his death…

"An Epilogue" Russia, 1820. Natasha and her children are
staying with Nikolai and Maria at Bald Hills while Pierre is away. Nikolai falls
asleep and thinks back to the year after the burning of Moscow, when the Rostovs
were living in reduced circumstances in the city. Maria Bolkonskya came to visit
them and Nikolai's pride prevented him from being polite to her. Countess
Rostova insisted he return the courtesy by calling on her. When he did so, he
reluctantly revealed to Maria that he had nothing to offer her and that was the
reason why he felt he couldn't marry her. Nikolai wakes to find Maria, who is
now his wife, and their son at his side. The pair discuss buying back the Rostov
home at Otradnoe…

The Evidence

When I was in my late teens, I took on the task of reading the great Leo
Tolstoy novel this lengthy mini-series is based on. When I finally finished the
book, there was an overwhelming sense of having just returned from a long
journey. I felt as if I had truly been swept away into another world, that I had
spent a great deal of time there, and that I had gotten to meet some very
compelling characters. This BBC adaptation of War and Peace managed to
recreate those very same feelings within me. The series earns every last minute
of its 15-hour running time, never spending too much (or too little) time with
any particular subplot or character.

At the time of its creation, War and Peace was one of the most
ambitious projects the BBC had ever attempted to undertake. Unlike many other
BBC productions of literary classics (which often feel and look like stage
plays), War and Peace was a project that needed to be epic in scope.
Hundreds of extras would be required for the many war scenes, grand sets would
need to be designed for the lavish ballroom sequences, and a large handful of
capable actors would need to be up to the task of keeping characters interesting
over the course of a very, very long story. David Conroy liked the cinematic
scope of the previous adaptations (the three and a half hour 1950s version with
Henry Fonda and Audrey Hepburn and the six-hour Russian version from the 1960s),
but he felt that neither film had been able to successfully capture many of the
nuances and smaller elements Conroy admired so much from the novel. Conroy's
expansive, comprehensive take on War and Peace not only does justice to
the historical majesty of Tolstoy's tale, but also to the novel's introspective
and thoughtful tone.

War and Peace is certainly compelling for its very accurate and
engaging portrait of the conflict between Russia and France during the early
1800s. It's also quite interesting in the way it examines the class system, the
societal relationship between the rich families of nobility and the simple
peasants. The manners and rules of marriage and romance in 19th-century Russia
are examined carefully as well, to great effect. However, I feel that the extra
element that places War and Peace above so many other great historical
novels (and in this case, above so many film and television adaptations of those
novels) is the way Tolstoy examines all of these events though a philosophical
lens. Conroy's adaptation successfully attempts to do the same, never shying
away from dropping the action or the plot in favor of taking time to listen in
on a lengthy, ponderous conversation between characters attempting to discover
the bigger picture in life.

This particular quality comes most often courtesy of the story's main
character, Pierre Bezuhov. Pierre is a man who never seems to be particularly
content in life, and always seems to be searching for his purpose. The spiritual
journey Pierre takes over the course of the story is handled masterfully, and
inspires many of the best scenes in War and Peace. Pierre's life changes
are made very convincing thanks to a superb performance from a young Anthony
Hopkins, who demonstrates what a remarkably mature actor he was even at this
stage. Hopkins subtly moves from place to place in Pierre's story with natural
ease, whether he is playing Pierre as a nervous and fumbling young man, a
paranoid conspiracy theorist, or a peaceful philosopher. Hopkins won a BAFTA for
his performance here, quite deservedly. Pierre's journey is perhaps so
convincing and moving because it was a journey taken by Tolstoy himself. Many of
the elements in the lives of the character and the author are the same: the
failed first marriage, the early life struggles, the attempts to find purpose in
life…when Pierre ultimately finds peace and contentment, we believe it,
and that is quite probably because Pierre's story has been told by a man who
found peace in a very similar manner.

Another key role in War and Peace is that of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky,
played with reserved class by Alan Dobie. Andrei is one of Pierre's close
friends, but he chooses to deal with life in a very different way, simply doing
his duty in as professional and painless manner as possible. He doesn't struggle
much with the challenges of life, because he has closed off his emotions and
feelings to the point of being nearly numb to his surroundings. Dobie offers a
performance that may seem a bit wooden from a purely physical perspective (his
face and voice rarely seem to change expression), but Dobie seems to have dug
very deep into the part internally. He is very convincing as Andrei, and always
seems as if he is living the part, not playing it.

Angela Down is very nuanced in an impressive turn as Andrei's sister Maria,
and Anthony Jacobs offers a wildly intense performance as the father of the
family (perhaps too wild, but I still liked the performance). Rupert Davies and
Faith Brook demonstrate very believable chemistry as the financially incompetent
Count and Countess Rostov, a generally nice couple who are parents to some of
the other key characters in War and Peace. Sylvester Morand plays their
son, Nikolai, a very intense young man of great conviction (if not imagination).
The daughter of the family is Natasha, the central female character of the story
(more on her later). The Rostovs also have raised their niece Sonya (Joanna
David), a young woman who is deeply in love with Nikolai (much to the horror of
Countess Rostov, who knows that such a marriage would not bring any extra money
into the family).

There are also some real-life military figures that play a part in the grand
scheme of War and Peace. David Swift gives an excellent performance as
Napoleon Bonaparte, a character given a very interesting arc over the course of
the story. At first, I was surprised to see the way Swift played Napoleon as
nothing less than a grand and brilliant saint, suggesting the mythical version
of the character rather than the real-life one. However, as War and Peace
progresses, we see Napoleon's grandeur slowly transform into monstrous egomania,
and Swift transforms himself from a noble hero into a repulsive toad. Frank
Middlemass gives us the other side of historical perspective with his portrayal
of the one-eyed Russian General Kutuzov. Middlemass is very good in the role,
but doesn't have nearly as much to do as Swift.

Unfortunately, the DVD doesn't look too great, though it's not terrible. The
outdoor scenes/battle scenes in particular seem to be a bit damaged, with lots
of scratches everywhere. The indoor scenes still look flat and mundane (typical
for a DVD featuring a 1970's television production), but are generally free of
flecks and so on. The worst instance comes during a couple minutes midway
through the final episode, when the picture looks like it was taken from a very
poor video tape source. That's the one single instance where the video is
distractingly bad, taking the viewer out of the world of War and Peace
(thankfully it doesn't come during a particularly crucial moment). Audio is
unremarkable, but perfectly acceptable for the most part. The exceptions come
during some of the end credit sequences, when the music sounds garbled. There
aren't any extras to speak of on the disc, but a very helpful and informative
44-page booklet is provided that has a lot of interesting information about the
production.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

Though most of the performances are very impressive, I must take exception to
the casting of Morag Hood in the key role of Natasha. Hood certainly isn't a
terrible actress; she's probably as capable as some of the others here. However,
it takes someone special to play the role of Natasha, and Hood doesn't have the
indescribable quality required. Natasha is a character who unknowingly enchants
and breaks the heart of nearly every man that enters her life. She is a woman
who can somehow instantly melt a man as closed-off as Prince Andrei. Audrey
Hepburn certainly had that element in the (otherwise inferior) American version
of War and Peace, and Hood just doesn't. She's also not particularly
effective in the early scenes where she is required to play a 13-year-old
girl…she attempts to achieve the effect by giggling and bouncing around as
much as possible. However, while we don't believe the "enchanting"
quality that she is supposed to have, she isn't incompetent as an actress
(particularly playing a woman her own age), so she does not do anything to
damage most of her scenes.

There's also something that may just be enough to ruin this superb
production for a lot of viewers out there, though it certainly didn't for me:
War and Peace, a story that is as Russian as they come, has never seemed
quite so British before. While the acting here is all excellent, much of the
behavior and mannerisms seem much more English than Russian. This is not helped
by the fact that no one attempts a Russian accent…well, Hopkins and Dobie
seem to try one on every once in a while, just as a quick reminder, but everyone
here sounds very British and acts very British (Count and Countess Rostov could
very easily be mistaken for Mr. and Mrs. Bennett of Pride and Prejudice). Those
seeking authenticity in this department would be better-served seeking out the
(very good) Russian version.

Closing Statement

Despite the few notable flaws, I must say that I feel this is the very best
version of War and Peace that has been made to date and it's hard to
imagine anyone topping it. Despite the fact that it runs 15 hours long, it never
seems bloated. War and Peace is an immensely engaging and satisfying
production, and my hat is off to the BBC for having the courage to fund such an
ambitious and intelligent literary adaptation. For those who seek out great
adaptations of great novels, this sweeping series should be considered essential
viewing.